Moistener-pad.



UNITED s rarns PATENT oFFIGn HERBERT N. NORTHROP, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

MOlSTENER-PAD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 22, 1907.

..0 all Z whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERBERT N. NORTH- ROP, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improved Moistener-Pad, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a pad for moistening the surface of envelops preparatory to affixing a postage stamp or stamps thereto or for moistening the adhesive or gummed surface of postage-stamps preparatory to affixing them as desired.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a slde view of the moistener-pad of this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section, dotted line 3 3, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section, dotted line 4 4, Fig. 3. I

In the drawings, A represents a chambered block or reservoir, particularly shown as rectangular on all its sides and top and bottom and capable of holding water.

B is a pad of felt, cloth, or other suitable material capable of absorbing and retaining water and disposed upon the top or upper side A of the water-reservoir A, and which reservoir for holding said pad in place and preventing its lateral or lengthwise movement has an upward-projecting flange a around its top of suflicient height therefor. This pad is in at least two layers, the lower one of which has a strip extension B leading through an opening A? of the top A of the water-reservoir and into the water-chamber thereof and preferably of a length to have a more or less portion of it lie along upon the bottom of the water-reservoir. This extended strip B of the lower layer of the pad passes through a fixed tube D of the top of the waterreservoir, and this tube extends downwardly into the water-chamber of the reservoir and terminates approximately near the bottom of said chamber, where it opens thereto.

. The pad-bed of the reservoir A, and preferably at one corner thereof, has a raised por- 1 l l l tion E, which extends across the bed for apart of its width and transversely and for its full length is preferably of convex shape. This raised portion is covered by the pad, and ly that is, its side or face towardsaid raised portion-if said raised portion is convex, as described and shown, is of a concave shape in the same direction therewith to substantially conform'with said convexity, and the two, said raised portion and said presser-foot,

form a throat or passage G through which to pass or draw or run an envelop to be moistened, and thereby the better to insure proper contact of the envelop with the moisteningpad for the moistening of the envelop for the after affixing of a postage stamp or stamps.

A yielding presser-foot permits the passage or drawing or running of the envelops under it for moistening them of greater or lesser thickness of contents. Again, the tube D enables the water-reservoir not only to be filled with water as may be desired, but also, if the height or depth of water is not. above a certain or defined limit, plainly there can be no possibility of the accidental running out of the water from the reservoir should the reservoir be upset in its use.

The water-reservoir, with its top and its tube, may be of glass, india-rubber, or any other suitable material and molded in one piece, in which case the bottom would be properly inserted and secured in place thereafter. Again, the body, with the bottom of the reservoir, may be of onepiece and the top imposed layers, one of which has a strip con- In Witness whereofI have hereunto set my tinuous therewith and which enters into said hand in the presence of two subscribing wit- Io reservoir,hin oogilginlation with a miselcll pornesses.

t1on ofte eer,0n and over w icla T T layer of the 52ml lies, and a spring and yield- HERBERT ORTHROR ing presser-foot above said pad fixed at one Witnesses:

side or portion and open at all of its other GEORGE V. HOLLFELDER,

sides or portions, substantially as described. ALBERT WV. BROWN. 

